Olympic training at Sussex leisure centre

The Barbados Olympic team has signed an agreement to use a Sussex leisure centre for its training camps.

Athletes will use K2 Crawley to train for the 2012 London Olympics and this year's Pan American Games.

Sports science and sports medicine support will be on offer from the University of Chichester.

"Getting this kind of international approval says a lot for the town's excellent leisure facilities," Councillor Lenny Walker said.

"We've developed a great relationship with the BOA [Barbados Olympic Association] and they've already used our facilities, and others in the area, for their netball and hockey teams," the Crawley Borough councillor added.

"This isn't just about a few weeks in 2012; we're looking to build educational, cultural and sporting links with Barbados over the next few years."

In June 2010 the island's national hockey side visited the West Sussex town, and in September 2010 the Barbados netball team played games at the K2 centre before flying directly to the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.